For poetry that has non-regular indentations, I simply \definelines[poem] and set that up the way I want, obviously, with \setuplines[poem]  e.g. [before={\blank \setupinterlinespace[line=2.5ex]},after={\blank},indenting=first].

And then, but I guess it is still a hack, I use \hskip at a suitable dimension whenever I need indented lines:

\startpoem
This is line one,
\hskip1em{This is line two}
This is line three,
\hskip1em{This is line four,}
\hskip1em{This is line five.}

\rightaligned{Poet's name}
\stoppoem

Julian

Hello,

I needed to typeset some poetry and noticed that 

\startlines[space=on]

Some line with tab % doesn't work, no spaces added

Some line with spaces %work

\stoplines

Is there a way to make the "tab" render the space "as is"?

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